Broody Hen Thread!

[Fentress]

thank you for your valuable insight. Unfortunately, I have heard that before, regarding the lack of predictability for broodies. I keep holding out hope that there is a breed, maybe a game breed, that will go off as a group in the spring, but I doubt it. As you stated, sometimes one going broody will cause others to follow, which would be helpful. I liked your advice to learn your hens in order to better match their schedule. Looks like I am looking at a May/June schedule based on what you said and what I experienced last year and that would work out OK, for the breeding program and then use the other broodies as they come for general flock matings. if desired. I keep my chickens as one flock that moves on a regular basis in order to stay on fresh grass. So I love broodies for a variety reasons, but having your chicks on grass from day one is imporant to me, but trying to fit a focused breeding program into my management system is a challenge, at least for now.

Thanks again,

Mark

 

[Beginningbreede]

My cochin hen just hatched out 2 chicks one pure americana and the other is a americana/ red phoenix cross

 

[soldonold]

Mark, you ask some really good questions and bring up some issues I have been pondering and working on within my flock which I'll attempt to relay to you in a coherent manner.

Forever Learning stated it spot on...breaking the brood won't stop them from going broody...that's caused by hormones which they can't and you can't control...you can support them with good feed and a stress free environment and a dark, warm and tempting nesting area to brood if they are so inclined, but you can't control when those hormones will actually kick in a good brood.

I'm finding that while certain breeds are broodier, broodiness is determined by the individual hen. I often see no correlation between breed, weather and sometimes not even season having hens go broody when others aren't....I've had individual birds go broody at completely different times, even those of the same breed. (Although May/June seems to be a high season and one broody can often kick off several others.)

Because of this, I am finding it is important to first observe and understand the individual hen and her natural broody behavior and let that work for you.

I agree that discouraging a brood will discourage good broody behavior. I never discourage nor entice a good broody hen I want to use from brooding. I only entice my "fickle" laying hens that have gone on too long with a "sulky brood" to end as I don't plan to ever use them since if they aren't laying and aren't good at brooding they are not really pulling their weight. (I determine "fickle" brooders as those who are not naturally efficient brooders...they stop at 2 weeks or go on a day, off a day, or never settle on one nest but constantly move...more sulking than effectively brooding...that I break with treats).

For my naturally good brooders, I simply rejoice at their behavior and let them stay the course giving them TLC and support...if I don't want chicks then golf balls and ping pong balls suffice. (My Silkie has diligently tried to get those golf balls to hatch without success several times.) If you don't want to attempt chicks now, then watch and observe as they brood those golf balls. This will be very important to help you determine who your core broodies will be and how they will behave so you can support them (Are they movable? or does resetting unsettle them? Do they like to tandem brood, or do they compete or become intimidated, etc.). And if you have a really determined brooder who will stay the course to the point she keeps going on and on as if I'm not quitting until I see a live chick (like my Silkie)...put some eggs or some chicks with her so that she doesn't become discouraged. I'd rather have a few extra chicks than lose a good broody's behavior....they are usually your good mothers too (which is another part of the equation I won't discuss at this point but for which you have to select as well).

As to your time frame...forgive me if I smile a little but I have yet to get my broodies on my strict timeline let alone going broody in concert on my timeline as a group. I haven't given up trying to approximate a time frame, but I am seeing that it is more about understanding or reading what their timeline is and adjusting my plans accordingly allowing for a plan B (and sometimes C). Over time...and this will take time...I should be able to select enough hens that generally go broody at the times I would like...but that will take awhile to accomplish and I am prepared I may never get quite to perfection. Why? Because I am finding that when hens go broody is always settled by each individual hen and there are some outside influences I can't control such as the weather that year...and some I can control such as flock stresses and health issues (worm overloads), etc. but which I might not have figured out until the time has passed.

I have come to believe that if you want to stabilize your timeline as much as possible, you will need to keep your broodies environment as stable and healthy and as positive to brooding as possible.

Good luck with your brooding plans.
Lady of McCamley

If interested, and helpful, here are my personal observations from my flock:
I have my faithful Silkie which goes broody regularly every 3 to 4 months almost like clock work...she is my beloved core brooder. I purchased her as a known good broody for that purpose. That is a good way to begin a faithful group. Purchase a known brooder or two. The rest can be chosen and developed as God smiles upon your flock (and the luck of the Irish).

To determine if a hen is a good broody, I watch and wait. With my Silkie I got her in April 2012 and she went broody twice before I used her. I did nothing to discourage her but watched her body language and behavior and tracked her time pattern making notes. I then began to anticipate when she might brood again and made my hatching plans accordingly. This year she has hatched for me February and raised those to maturity, then saved a batch in June from a new hen I was trying out. That hen did not stay the course, so I swapped my golf ball sitting Silkie onto that batch to save them. After brooding that batch to maturity, my Silkie went broody again in September wherein I put some coveted store bought EE chicks under her to foster and she has brought them to 12 weeks just now beginng to lay again. I anticipate her to go broody again soon for which I won't use her (she'll be on those golf balls again), but come February-March when I anticipate she will be brooding again (having looked at my notes on her) I will be putting some special eggs that I have pre-arranged a standing order with a breeder wherein the breeder promises a quick turn around so that I can get them under her within her first week when she has gone into full brood.

This year, I had 3 of my year old laying hens go broody in June. As they were new broodies, I assessed all 3 with golf balls for a couple of days. Only 2 were settled enough to move to the broody hutch (which is always set up and ready for intake). Of those 2, one stayed the course until 3 weeks time (having sat a week on balls then 2 weeks on eggs) and then gave up the nest to jump the broody fence and go back to the main coop (quite the feat I might add). My faithful Silkie was just entering a brood and she saved that batch being snatched from the main coop's nest to the broody hutch. The hen that gave up sulked in the coop and I encouraged her out with treats. The other new hen stayed the course and she and my Silkie hatched my June chicks. I kept watch at the stores for chick breeds I wanted, and when my Silkie rewarded me with a September brood, I was on hand with new chicks under her after I knew she had settled for a couple of days.

To be able to swap and switch and pull and set eggs takes knowing your hens and conditions. So you can see I feel it is more of knowing your broodies behavior and working your plans around them...slowly over time you can begin to get a group of hens that are so faithful and close to your timeline that you can begin to approximate a schedule.

I hope my experiences have proved helpful. I am still learning and improving my broody techniques as the ladies teach me how they work and think.

I can say the best thing is to have a separate brooding hutch and run pre-set up. If your core hen(s) is/are unsettled by movement or bothered by the flock then you may need to keep your consistent broodies residence there. (My beloved Silkie isn't bothered by movement but she is picked on by the flock which stresses her so I have moved her permanently to the broody hutch and brood status...she lives in one end of my double brooding hutch leaving one end free for any seasonal broody I may need to reset...probably my Welsummer/RIR mix that did such a fine job for me in June and reset with no problems.)

Lady, I appreciate so much all the information you have shared in this thread. It is so helpful to hear from someone who has so much experience. I have recently been blessed with a very determined Wheaten Ameraucana broody who waited for me to come to my senses and let her hatch some chicks after almost three weeks on an empty nest. I finally let her hatch some chicks, and she is a wonderful momma hen. So I am going to start a little notebook on her like you suggested. Thanks again!!

 

[ocap]

Quick question on broody hens. This is just to find out a bit more info before next spring but with broody hens....has anyone ever let them keep goslings? Not so much hatch them, but raise them if she would adopt them. If anyone has done this, let me know. Ive read that they love ducklings almost as much as chicks....so why not right lol? might have to supplement heat once they get bigger than the hen...though it would be great seeing a couple goslings pretty much lifting a hen off the ground trying to get under her! lol

what I have heard is to not let a duck raise chicks, the chick will follow mama into the pond and drown. It is fine to let a hen raise ducks or geese, the mama will stand on the bank of the pond but not go in the water

 

[foreverlearning]

what I have heard is to not let a duck raise chicks, the chick will follow mama into the pond and drown. It is fine to let a hen raise ducks or geese, the mama will stand on the bank of the pond but not go in the water

X2 and the broody hen can hatch the eggs if you want.

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

Yikes! New to the game here!

My 30 week old Brahma X supposedly Icelandic hen has gone broody already!

Maybe leaving the light on for 14 hours a day was not such a good idea after all? The little thing has only laid me half a dozen eggs being the late developer they are, and now nothing. I don't let her keep anyone elses eggs either. I turn the light out at nite but just before doing so I have been putting her up on the roost where I hope she stays the night.... I do chase her off the nest before and after work so she'll eat and drink. I am wondering if she'll be fine if I just give her some golf balls. Will she give up when they don't hatch? She has started chasing the others away from her basket today. Unfortunately it was the only basket they all wanted to use. Sometimes at the same time! They have made another nest in the shavings and straw kitty corner to hers.

I am going to read through all of this thread this weekend for helpful hints. I don't want to try hatching some eggs until spring for another flock. I do spend a lot of time watching and noting behavior but I don't want her to die brooding..... Good news is I weighed all the hens 2 weeks ago and all are on schedule that way. I think she has lost weight now after the week on the nest.

I'll write more on the weekend when I understand this better!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Yikes! New to the game here!

My 30 week old Brahma X supposedly Icelandic hen has gone broody already!

Maybe leaving the light on for 14 hours a day was not such a good idea after all? The little thing has only laid me half a dozen eggs being the late developer they are, and now nothing. I don't let her keep anyone elses eggs either. I turn the light out at nite but just before doing so I have been putting her up on the roost where I hope she stays the night.... I do chase her off the nest before and after work so she'll eat and drink. I am wondering if she'll be fine if I just give her some golf balls. Will she give up when they don't hatch? She has started chasing the others away from her basket today. Unfortunately it was the only basket they all wanted to use. Sometimes at the same time! They have made another nest in the shavings and straw kitty corner to hers.

I am going to read through all of this thread this weekend for helpful hints. I don't want to try hatching some eggs until spring for another flock. I do spend a lot of time watching and noting behavior but I don't want her to die brooding..... Good news is I weighed all the hens 2 weeks ago and all are on schedule that way. I think she has lost weight now after the week on the nest.

I'll write more on the weekend when I understand this better!

Broody hens go broody when they feel like it...or rather when their hormones kick in. I've seen them go broody in just about every season (actually, yeah, every season fall, winter, spring and summer). Usually they tend go broody in late spring (May/June) but as I said, it is when they feel like it.

If you plan to ever use this bird for brooding chicks, I would suggest you not discourage her as it can cause undesirable behavior during brooding...ie giving up the nest, not staying with the nest. I would suggest putting golf balls under her if you don't want chicks now.

I find it much better to have a separate or at least separated area for my brooding hen. It's much better and safer for all concerned and less frustrating to the other hens who want to lay. Although I have had some who try to tandem brood, usually the more dominate one eventually discourages the less dominant or they keep stealing eggs until some get crushed or left cold too long.

Therefore, I would set up another nest box to either accommodate Miss Broody or the other hens (your choice who moves). Usually it is better to let the broody stay if you can as some hens do not resettle elsewhere but are locked into their original location and will abandon the new nest for the old one. (I once subdivided my coop with temporary boards around a nesting broody to let her stay and keep the others out.) However since this will be a dry run for you, I would move the broody to a place that is more acceptable so she gets used to it before you put real eggs under her. If you are going to build a nice brooding hutch...just put her where you want now but move her to that brooding hutch before her next brood to get her used to it.

I have never had a hen starve herself. Their combs will look pale as they are not producing hormones for laying any more (rather during the brood process...they will lay again after they are done mothering chicks...anywhere from almost immediately to about 8 weeks), and they will look thinner as they don't eat as often...but they do eat and drink, just not when you are around. Generally once a day (sometimes more) they get up and eat, drink, and give off one very large and stinky poo. That's normal and nature's process. I interfere as little as possible with my naturally broody hens as I figure they've got things under control (and they usually do). I have heard of hens brooding until they are emaciated, but I have never personally had one go that far. They quit when they are done. Sometimes that is 3 weeks (the time it takes to hatch eggs), usually it is about 5 weeks (nature gives them some lag time for late hatchers). If they go beyond that and aren't really brooding but more sulking, I have enticed those I don't use for brooding out into the main yard with food treats. But my core brooders...I let them do the job they were created to do and if they are languishing for chicks trying to hatch golf balls...I put some eggs under them as I'd rather have a few extra chicks than lose a good broody's skills. (It is not that common to get a really good broody...many of them play at it...or hatch and are poor mothers...if you have a good broody/mother she is worth her weight in gold).

Good luck with your new little broody. May she hatch long and prosperous for you.

Lady of McCamley

**EDITED TO ADD: I do give my broodies TLC with higher protein feed (chick starter is good since they don't need the calcium since they are not laying) and electrolytes and vitamins in the water....I make sure their once a day drink and snack is powered for energy and protein. And be prepared that a hen often molts after brooding. That again is nature's way of cleaning her up after all that sitting on eggs and especially after all those little ones have run all through her feathers pooing.

 

[Nicky-the-witch]

I had been waiting for my broody chook Nell to go broody again after hatching some chicks in February earlier this year.
Well, I got fed up waiting - so I bought a couple of 9 day old araucana chicks.
Meet Lydia & Violet!


Nell had a good look at them but was not interested in fostering them. I tried to slip them under her that evening - she pecked at me and at the chicks - so I set up a dog crate with a light to keep them warm (pretty warm here in Australia anyway this time of year)

Well guess what?! Nell refused to leave the coop the next day and has been sat on her nest ever since!!!

I have ordered some eggs from Lilys Creek Araucanas - which we will get next week. So I will be overrun with chicks by the end of the year!!

If I had known seeing a couple of chicks would make her broody I would have bought some of the fake ones you get at easter!!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I had been waiting for my broody chook Nell to go broody again after hatching some chicks in February earlier this year.
Well, I got fed up waiting - so I bought a couple of 9 day old araucana chicks.
Meet Lydia & Violet!


Nell had a good look at them but was not interested in fostering them. I tried to slip them under her that evening - she pecked at me and at the chicks - so I set up a dog crate with a light to keep them warm (pretty warm here in Australia anyway this time of year)

Well guess what?! Nell refused to leave the coop the next day and has been sat on her nest ever since!!!

I have ordered some eggs from Lilys Creek Araucanas - which we will get next week. So I will be overrun with chicks by the end of the year!!

If I had known seeing a couple of chicks would make her broody I would have bought some of the fake ones you get at easter!!

Cute babies!

And yes...broodies are fickle...they go broody when and where they want. Good luck with your new chicks and new eggs....and ehmmm....chicken math.

Lady of McCamley

 

[chicken farmer]

One of my white silkie hens that was born this past spring is of course not a year old yet and she went broody yesterday and its November and snowy and cold here in Ohio but I'm sure she will do good with them